The Greek government on Friday evening abruptly submitted to Parliament a draft amendment giving nationwide broadcasters that failed to win one of four national television licenses five days to cease transmissions, with the deadline commencing from the publication of a relevant ministerial decision citing the four final broadcasters with licenses.
Heavy fines and penalties are foreseen in case of non-compliance, the draft amendment reads. Publication, in this case, means in the government gazette.
Criminal and administrative penalties foresee a maximum one-year prison term and a maximum 20,000-euro fine, as well as a fine of up to 1.5 million euros on the corporate entity found in non-compliance and even confiscation of equipment.
The current terrestrial digital platform hosting Greece’s free-to-air broadcasters, Digea, a consortium of seven television stations, one of whom is defunct, also faces a revocation of its license if its keeps transmitting unlicensed broadcasters' signals.
A vote on the amendment is expected in Parliament on Tuesday.
The Tsipras government assumed jurisdiction over broadcast licenses by passing a law with its 153-deputy majority that bypasses an independent authority that previous regulated the sector. It then commissioned a single study from an institute at an Italian university (Florence) that recommended a figure of four broadcast licenses as sufficient for the Greek market. Afterwards, the government held a closed-door, nearly three-day long electronic auction, which awarded licenses to highest bidder.
